Why Abba Yusuf’s APC Switch Is Shaking Kano Politics

Kano’s political equation is under fresh strain after Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf moved from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), triggering immediate pushback from opposition parties and an angry response from his former platform. The development, which the APC has framed as a major gain ahead of 2027, is being interpreted by rivals as elite realignment that may not translate into votes as Reported by The PUNCH.

A defection with unusually high political weight

Yusuf is not just any governor in Nigeria’s shifting party landscape. Kano is one of the country’s most politically consequential states, and his victory under the NNPP banner in 2023 was closely tied to the strength of the Kwankwasiyya movement led by former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. That backdrop is why the NNPP described Yusuf’s exit as a betrayal of the Kano electorate and a direct blow to a political structure that mobilised voters for him.

Beyond Yusuf’s personal move, the scale of accompanying defections is central to why the moment is being treated as disruptive. According to statements cited in the report, Yusuf is expected to formalise his APC registration alongside dozens of elected officials across state and federal legislatures and Kano’s local government leadership an organisational shift that can quickly change campaign machinery, patronage networks, and grassroots coordination.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Labour Party (LP) have argued that defections by political office holders should not be confused with voter alignment. Their public line is that electoral strength is ultimately determined at the ballot box, and that governors who switch platforms midstream do not automatically “move” the electorate with them.

This argument mirrors a wider national debate about whether the growing trend of cross-party defections reflects genuine ideological convergence or strategic repositioning ahead of 2027.

APC calls it validation; critics see a deeper 2027 test

APC officials, including party spokesmen quoted in the report, describe Yusuf’s return as a “homecoming” and a sign the party’s agenda is gaining broader acceptance. Opponents counter that the ruling party’s expanding ranks raise questions about competitive balance, especially amid recurring public concerns about whether Nigeria is drifting toward one-party dominance an allegation the presidency and APC leaders have repeatedly denied in other public statements. For broader context on that national argument:

The Kwankwasiyya factor: what this could stress-test

Even for analysts who expect party switching to continue nationwide, Kano is a special case because of how strongly political identity and mobilisation have been shaped by the Kwankwasiyya bloc. If Yusuf’s move weakens the NNPP’s structure in the state, APC could gain organisational advantage. If, however, the movement’s grassroots loyalty holds independently of Yusuf’s position, the defection could become a test of whether Kano voters follow platforms, personalities, or entrenched political networks. A deeper look at the fault lines this creates in Kano’s power structure is also discussed here.

What to watch next (without guessing outcomes)

• Formal registration and attendance: whether national APC figures publicly anchor the “homecoming” narrative in Kano.

• NNPP’s response strategy: whether the party rallies around Kwankwasiyya structures to show it retains voter loyalty.

• Opposition coordination: whether PDP/ADC/LP translate rhetorical pushback into practical alliances on the ground.

• 2027 calculations: whether this becomes a template for further high-profile switches or a cautionary tale if voters punish perceived opportunism.

source: The PUNCH report